Combined directional signal and service lamp



Oct. 13, 1936. E. T. CONDON COMBINED DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL AND SERVICE LAMP F iled Aug. 12, 1933 2 SheetsSheet 1 FIG. 1;-

l l l I l l l l l I I l I l l I I l l FIG. 2

. INVENTOR fdward 7T Cam/0n ATTORN EY Oct. 13, 1936. E. T. CONDON Q COMBINED DIRECTIONAL SIGNA L AND SERVICE LAMP Filed Aug. 12, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Edward 7. (am on ATTORN EY P atented Oct. 13,1936 a i 2,057,477 I UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINED DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL SERVICE LAMP Edward T. Condon, New York, N. Y. Application August 12, 1933, Serial No..684,823

1 Claim. (Cl. 177-329) The invention relates to directional signal dethe housing as upon a bracket l3 secured to the vices for motor vehicles, and more particularly apex. If desired, a reflector l4 may be also to electrically operated devices whereby the vesecured to the bracket behind said lamp, While hicle operator's intention to make a turn may the housing above the lamp I2 is indicated as 5 be indicated at will to a succeeding or approachapertured to receive a lens l5 for providing 6 ing vehicle. illumination exteriorly of said housing, for ex- It has for. an object to provide in a single ample, for illumination of a license plate (not and compact device indicating means of the shown).

aforesaid nature as well as means for displaying Provision is made to screen centrally light 10 a tail light or a stop light signal; or affording from the lamp l2, more particularly in the line 10 with the signal light a service light such as a of the longi u a of d u and 170 parking or driving light. this end opaque means, such as a further or sec Another object of the invention resides in the 0 h n 0 i m un d within h h us n provision of means therewith for furnishing ill0 and substantially in the longitudinal axis of lumination externally of the device, for example, the latter housingous n 19 de 130 15 to a license plate. retain a further lamp 2| for illumination, in Still another object'of the invention resides present b i o a Signal lens 22 in the novel lamp assembly whereby the various having provided thereon a light-transmitting parts constituting the signal device are all carportion embodying, for example, an arrow-head ried by a shell or enclosing housing element. 23 and a tail-portion 24 designed to light up A further object of theinvention resides in when energy is supplied to lamp 2|. A colored the novel structure whereby convenient assemtranslucent disk 25, as of celluloid, may be held bly may be had. behind the lens 22 to reduce tendency of unde- In carrying'out the invention, a lamp housing sired illumination of the signal portion of the of suitable shape is provided with. an internal lens'from the rays of the sun or from the light 25 opaque member or coaxial housing aflording a of a head-light of a succeeding vehicle; and surrounding annular space, and electric lights this disk may be ofany desired color. are mounted respectively in the two housings Furthermore, provision is made to set back which are closed by transparent or translucent the lens 22 from the outer edge 26 of the hous- 30 mbers or lenses, one of which bears signal ing to aiford a shadow-box" effect and elimina- 30 indicia while the other is adapted [solely to be tion therewith and with the disk 25 of any tendilluminated, preferably in color. The arrangeency to illumination of the lens from external ment is such. furthermore, that the light for sources. illumination of the annular portion is screened- The second housing structu e iswo ve l 25 by thecoaxialhouslng from illumination of the assembled and a shadow-box" effect provided translucent member of the latter housing andorby m ans of an ann larca ryi mem er 30 which is adapted for illumination solely by the having the inturned lip 3| of a depth correlight mounted within the said. interpal'housing. spending to the desired set-back for the "shed- The nature of the invention, however, will ow-box" effect and serving also as an abutment best be understood when described in connection 101' the lens 2 t w B.11 de t00d t at e 40 with the accompanying drawings, in which: outer surface of the lip 3| may be given a dull Figs. 1 and 2 are. respectively a longitudinal black finish to minimize reflections from sources section through the novel lamp and a front o i t t a t the housing- This lens s elevation thereof. backed by a gasket 32 inserted between the same Figs. 3 and 4 are similar views illustrating a a d the dis 15 w in u is b d y 0 modification. gasket 33.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, Ill T enclosing housing 20 is i d i h an designates. a housing of acorn or truncated ela dly extending flan e 34 which 18 designed lipsoid shape and at the apex of which is proto be fitted between e disk 25 and gasket 33,

vided a conductor-receiving fitting II for rethe .entimvstrllcture b61118 h in assembled 50 ceiving and holding in the usual manner a plug 13191301151111) by means of a split p ng 35 r th e t shown) for th purpose of held between the inturned edge 36 of the other veying power to the various lamps utilized 1 1 811111118! member and the et.

within the housing. One of these lamps i2 is The said 8111111151 member a is designed; 9180.

shown as mountedin the rearward portion of. o 81199 anfinmllal' light-transmitting ber 40 which may be held thereon by an annular strip, soldered or otherwise secured to the wall 31 and having the outturnedrim 4|, and an annular backing strip with outturned rim- 42 and intermediate holding washer 43, the strip with rim 42 being held to the wall 31 through screws 44. This affords a compact and simple unit comprising both lenses 22 and 40 and may readily be mounted within the surrounding housing 20.

The annular light-transmitting member 40 is to this end designed to be fitted within the outer housing I0 substantially at its base, and the housing for this purpose is made separable having the outer cap member 45 whose outer edge may be turned inwardly as at 45 to receive a gasket 46 against which the annular lighttransmitting member 40 may contact to close off the interior of the housing III.

A further ring 41 is soldered or otherwise permanently secured to the inner wall of the cap 45 and extends inwardly behind the same to seal the seam 48 between the housing proper Ill-and its cap 45. Furthermore, there is secured to the housing Ill a plurality of lugs 49 which are threaded to receive holding screws 50 for looking the cap to the housing portion, said screws limiting, also, lateral movement of the lens 40. Ring 41 is turned inwardly at its inner edge to afford a support for a plurality of spring clips 5| adapted to press against the inner surface of the lens 40 to further hold the same rigidly in position.

It will be appreciated that with the arrangement shown, light from-lamp I2 is visible only through the annular'member 40 or through the lens l5, while light from lamp 2| is visible only through the lens 22. As indicated, therefore, when light 2| is flashed on, a directional signal will be afforded, while when lens 40 is illuminated, the same may serve as a tail or as a stoplight; or, in instances in which the device is utilized for a front signal device, the light passing through lens 40 may be utilized as a parking light or as a driving light, or both, where the lamp I2 is provided with a double filament. The lens 40 will in these instances preferably be of clear glass to afford the maximum illumination and the lens I5 may be omitted.

In Figs. 3 and 4, the signal lens 55 is shown arranged about the central stop or tail-light lens 56, the arrow portion 51 and tail portion 58 thereof being provided on the annular lens portion 55 as clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the draw-v ings. Lens 56 is conveniently mounted in a lensbarrel 60' which is removably secured to an inner housing 5|, as by means of a bayonet joint,

so as to render the lamp 62 within said housing readily accessible.

The outer housing in the present embodiment is constructed also in two sections, the inner section 63 being held to the outer or cap portion 64, for example, by means of screws 65 fitting nuts 66 within the outer housing. The outer or cap portion 64 is provided with the inturned lip 10 to provide for a shadow-box eifect for the lens 55 which is arranged to abut the edge 1! of the inturned lip, said lens 55 also abutting a circular ridge 12 provided on the barrel 60.

Behind lens 55 is provided an annular gasket 13 and located behind the same is an annular celluloid disk 14, the lens 55 being backed by a flanged strip 15 secured to the housing GI and the disk 14 held in place by spring-clips 16 abutting at their opposite ends metal rings 11 and 11', the latter being secured to the portion 64 of the outer housing. The ring 11', through an intermediate annular gasket 18, serves as an abutment for a reflector 19 which is held in place through contact with'the outer edge of the housing portion 63.

Within the reflector 19 is mounted a' lamp serving for illumination of the lens 55; and in the present instance, a further lamp 8| is provided for affording illumination externally of the outer housing as through the lens 82 provided in its wall. To accommodate the said lamp, reflector 19 may be indented as indicated at 83.

With the modified arrangement hereinbefore .set forth, lens 56 may serve as a stop-light and/or tail-light, its lamp 62 then being provided with two filaments, while the lens 55 provides the illumination for signals relative to change in direction. a

I claim:

An automobile signaling device, comprising two coaxial housings one of which is disposed within the other, and both of which terminate substantially in a single plane, a cylindrical wall common to said housings, a light-transmitting element cooperating with said cylindrical wall to close the inner housing, an annular light-transmitting element cooperating with said cylindrical wall to provide a closure for the outer housing, said light-transmitting elements being respectively disposed in planes normal to said cylindrical wall, said planes being displaced with respect to eacn other whereby said wall functions as a light screen between both housings and a shadow box element for one of said housings, and means to independently project light through said light transmitting elements.

EDWARD T. UONDON. 

